simond, thanks for the info re: the ASHP. Definitely looking into these now.
Andy, I've come to the conclusion you are one of these permanently grumpy types who are nice really underneath it all, so I'll ignore the grumpiness and thank you for your comment that having two separate systems would be more expensive.
Right, time to ask stupid, semi-technical questions (only semi-technical cos I'm a woman, see, and not a plumber or heating engineer or anything remotely useful...)
If I use an ASHP connected to a thermal store, would I also need a separate boiler to 'boost' the thermal store to a useable operating temperature? I'm assuming that the ASHP wouldn't be enough to do it, especially in winter, but I don't know much about them and don't know what sort of output I can expect, or even how they heat the water.
I need a system that will support 6 rads (lounge, diner, 2 x beds, hallway, bathroom, although the last one might be just a towel rail rather than a 'proper' rad) plus HW to supply kitchen sink, bathroom handbasin and occasional bath (I have an electric overbath shower which is what I use mostly) - what size (in litres) thermal store am I looking at, roughly?
What difference does oversizing the rads by 20% make (as I've seen suggested elsewhere)?
By the way, Andy - I know I have to spend a fair chunk of cash to upgrade my heating, regardless of how I do it, but I'm not going to spend a huge wedge only to find that I will still have to pay a small fortune on electricity every month. My heating needs to be upgraded regardless, because the NSHs I have are ancient and crap and don't give me any heat when I need it. By putting in something more up-to-date and hopefully more efficient I'm hoping to have a useable heating and hot water system that will cost a little less (or, with any luck, a lot less) to run and give me heat when I actually need it. I'm not asking for the moon and stars, honestly.
Andy, I've come to the conclusion you are one of these permanently grumpy types who are nice really underneath it all, so I'll ignore the grumpiness and thank you for your comment that having two separate systems would be more expensive.
Right, time to ask stupid, semi-technical questions (only semi-technical cos I'm a woman, see, and not a plumber or heating engineer or anything remotely useful...)
If I use an ASHP connected to a thermal store, would I also need a separate boiler to 'boost' the thermal store to a useable operating temperature? I'm assuming that the ASHP wouldn't be enough to do it, especially in winter, but I don't know much about them and don't know what sort of output I can expect, or even how they heat the water.
I need a system that will support 6 rads (lounge, diner, 2 x beds, hallway, bathroom, although the last one might be just a towel rail rather than a 'proper' rad) plus HW to supply kitchen sink, bathroom handbasin and occasional bath (I have an electric overbath shower which is what I use mostly) - what size (in litres) thermal store am I looking at, roughly?
What difference does oversizing the rads by 20% make (as I've seen suggested elsewhere)?
By the way, Andy - I know I have to spend a fair chunk of cash to upgrade my heating, regardless of how I do it, but I'm not going to spend a huge wedge only to find that I will still have to pay a small fortune on electricity every month. My heating needs to be upgraded regardless, because the NSHs I have are ancient and crap and don't give me any heat when I need it. By putting in something more up-to-date and hopefully more efficient I'm hoping to have a useable heating and hot water system that will cost a little less (or, with any luck, a lot less) to run and give me heat when I actually need it. I'm not asking for the moon and stars, honestly.
